Smartphone thefts are dropping; here's why

After Apple introduced a kill switch last fall for iPhones and iPads, law enforcement officials in New York and San Francisco say the number of mobile-phone thefts and robberies dropped about 30 percent, respectively, during the first five months of the year.

Without saying that Apple's Activation Lock was responsible, police in Chicago and Washington report similar double-digit drops.

Dennis Roberson, vice provost for research at Illinois Institute of Technology and a wireless expert, is leading a Federal Communications Commission effort to come up with an industrywide plan by year-end for “kill switches” and “remote-wipe” technology that would allow victims to render stolen phones into useless bricks. In essence, he wants to turn smartphone theft into a dumb crime. Roberson is looking to carriers to take the lead on creating an anti-theft tool that works across all platforms and products.

“The first person to call has to be your carrier, not your insurance or police,” he says. “No one wants a unique role from Apple, Samsung or whomever. You don't want 20 different solutions.”